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ADDRESS: 



OF THE 



STATE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, 



OF THE 



REPUBLICAN PARTY 

OF LOUISI^N"^. 



OFFX CI AL 



NEW ORIESXS, Li, JiOVEHBER lOtli, IS6S. 



i. K. STEPHENS. PRINTER. 19 COMMERCIAL PLACE. 



OF THE 

REPUBLICAN STATE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE 

Consisting of S. B. Packard, M. A. Southworth, W. B. 
Armstrong, L. A. Delasize and W. S. Mudgett. 



New Orleans, November 10, 1868. 

The REPUBLICAN STATE COMMITTEE congratulates the 
law-abiding citizens of Louisiana on the success of the National 
Republican Party. Thej? can now confidently anticipate the time 
when all will be protected in their rights, the law be enforced and 
the guilty be punished. With the inauguration of General Grant 
as President of the United States, a new era of peace and pros- 
perity will dawn upon Louisiaaa, in which men can fearlessly ex- 
press their political sentiments and vote as their conscience dic- 
tate. 

But while this Committee congratulates the good citizens of 
Louisiana on the election of our national candidates, it, in com- 
mon with them, deplores the lawlessness, violence and intimidation 
which have disgraced our State and country, and made the elec- 
tion in Louisiana little better than a farce. 

Believing there was danger of collision between the clubs and 
members of the opposing parties, this Committee, about the first 
of October, proposed that both parties should abstain from mass 
meetings and parades until after election. It also invited the 
Democratic Executive Committee to select three daj's of the week 
for the mass meetings and parades of the Democratic party, the 
Republican party to use the three remaining days of the week, 
and neither party to encroach on the days allotted to the other. 
Neither proposition was accepted; and it is the agreeable duty of 



tbie Committee to state that not one instance of conflict has come 
to its knowledge in which a Republican club has been the aggres- 
sor. 

Our colored citizens have sought to exercise the rights bestow- 
ed upon them by the laws and Constitution of the United States 
and of this State and guaranteed to them by the good faith and 
honor of the nation; the right to peaceably assemble in political 
meetings, to vote as they chose, and to hold office if duly elected 
or appointed thereto. The ex-rebel and Democratic party opposed 
their exercise of these rights unless in accordance with its own 
interests and policy. 

It was evident from the election in April last, and the organi- 
zation and strength of the Republican party, that colored voters 
would not be deceived or persuaded into following the opponents 
of reconstruction back to the borders of slavery, but that if left 
free to exercise their rights they would vote solidly to sustain the 
principles and policy of the Republican party. It was found that 
colored men would earn and receive money for marching in Demo- 
cratic processions and contribute it to Republican clubs; that 
members of so-called Democratic colored clubs were generally 
members of and in full sympathy with Republican organizations; 
and that large sums of money expended to make "colored Demo- 
cratic converts" failed to make of them reliable Democrats. 

When the campaign commenced the Democratic colored clubs 
disappeared like mist at sunrise. Our colored citizens rallied 
around the Republican party, and it was evident that it could car- 
ry this State by more than twenty thousand majority. 

But the teachings of the Democratic candidate for Vice Presi- 
dent and of the Copperhead press of the North, were repeated by 
the Democratic leaders and incendiary press of the South, and 
wtjre believed by a party and class confident in their strength, 
and anxious for any pretext to repudiate Congressional reconstruc- 
tion, and resist the constituted authorities of the State. 

By falsehoods and misrepresentations the Democratic masses 
were made to believe that the predominance of the Republican 
party would lead to "negro supremacy" and "social equality" and 



financial ruin; that our State Constitution and laws made thereun- 
der were null and void; that our State Government was a usurpa- 
tion, and chat offices filled by Republicans must be relinquished to 
Democratic aspirants. They were told that "Louisiana must be re- 
deemed from Reuublican control at all haznrds and at whatever 
iost^^ and the terrible events of the last month prove that only too 
well have they followed the instructions of their reckless lead- 
ers. 

The secret semi-military organizations of the Democratic party 
in this city alone number eighteen thousand armed and drilled men 
and similar organizations exist in every parish in the State. That 
party also embraces the greater part of the wealth and learning 
ot our people, and it had an almost unlimited amount of mon- 
ey at its command. It also had the avowed sympathy of Major 
Generals Rousseau and Buchanan, and the moral support of their 
association and countenance. 

On the contrary the Republican party, the party which has ac- 
complished and adheres to Congressional reconstruction, in this 
State, was poor and unarmed, and unable to obtain arras for self 
defense. A majority of its members were not only unaccustomed 
to the duties and responsibilities of citizenship, but were habitua- 
ted to violence and persecution, and the relinquishment of indi- 
vidual rights. 

This committee was able to expend only about eleven thousand 
dollars in the late campaign, while it is believed the Democratic 
party expended several hundred thousand dollars. Nevertheless, 
our organization was as perfect as theirs until that party inaugu- 
rated its policy of lawlessness, violence and intimidation, which 
the Republican party was unprepared and uuable to resist. 
During the last month of the campaign this committee has em- 
ployed more than one hundred canvassers, it has published 80,000 
copies of a campaign paper, and various circulars and addresses ; 
it has distributed more than 300,000 campaign documents, it has 
printed and sent throughout the State 425,000 tickets, and it is 
satisfied that with a fair election the result would not have been 
doubtful. But the Rebel-Democracy determined that they would 



6 

carry and control Louisiana by whatever lawlessness, violence 
and intimidation might be necessary to that end ; and because of 
facts which we have previously stated, and because a United 
States law forbids the organization of a militia in this State, they 
have been able to dishonor the principles of free government, and 
prevent our election from being an expression of the will of the 
people. 

Previous to the election it was evident that the active and 
aggressive portion of the Democratic party had determined that if 
colored men would not vote with their party, they should not'be 
allowed to vote at all ; and it was also evident that an attempt 
to cast a full Eepublican vote in this city, and in more than half 
the parishes would result in general rioting and massacra. Under 
these circumstances there was but one proper course for Republi- 
cans, viz : To vote where it could be done and to abstain from the 
attempt to vote where it would result in violence and murder. 
And this course has been very generally pursued. 

In some of the planting parishes where employers greatly 
needed the labor of colored men, and where there were fewer out- 
rages and murders than in other localites, the full Republican 
vote has been cast. In Concordia parish where 1644 Republicans 
registered 1554 Republicans voted ; in St. James parish where 
2389 Republicans registered, 2161 Republicans voted ; in Iber- 
ville parish, where 2150 Republicans registered, 2086 Republicans 
voted, and the result has been the same in parishes equall^^ 
peaceable and orderly. 

On the contrary, in the city of New Orleans, of 18,000 colored 
citizens who registered but about 100 voted, and including about 
3000 white Republicans who registered, the whole Republican 
vote in the city was but 276. Probably more white Republicans 
might have voted if they could have condescended to accept the 
** protection" so ostentatiously offered by political opponents, or 
to recognize the pretended and unreal peace of election day as a 
reality, or to exercise a right denied to the great majority of their 
party. In the parish of St. Landry, where more than two hundred 



negroes were killed during October, out of a regstration of pro- 
bably more than 2000 Republicans, not one Republican vote was 
cast. In each of the parishes of Bossier, Morehouse and Caddo, 
with each a registration of about 2000 Republicans, one Republi- 
can vote was cast, probably by Democrats, and the election has 
similarly resulted in other lawless parishes. 

The extent of the violence and intimidation which have been 
used, and the number of murders which have been committed to 
insure this result, will probably never be known, and can be im- 
agined only by those who know the priceless estimation in which 
our colored citizens held their newly acquired rights of citizen- 
ship and franchise. 

The only true accusation brought against colored men by our 
opponents is that they have sought to exercise the rights bestowed 
upon them by United States laws according to their own judg- 
ments and consciences, and if this has been politically or morally 
wrong, surely the responsibility does not rest upon them. No 
disinterested man in Louisiana believes or can be made to believe 
that colored men have originated the disturbances in which they 
have been almost the only sufferers. The characteristics of the 
colored race and their history in Louisiana are alone sufScient to 
refute the charge, and the facts of the case make the accusation 
infamous and contemptible. 

There need be no question as to what party and class of citi- 
zens are responsible for the riots and tumults which have dis- 
graced our State. Colored and white Republicans have been 
almost the only victims; hundreds of them have been killed to one 
of their political opponents. Only Republican churches, school- 
houses, club rooms and residences have been sacked by by law- 
less mobs. Over more than half the area of the State peaceable 
political meetings of Republicans have been prevented or dis- 
persed; prominent Republicans killed or driven from their homes, 
and a reign of terror inaugurated unsurpassed by that of the re- 
bellion. Armed bands of Democrats, frequently disguised, have 
patrolled the roads in the country and streets of our cities, com- 
mitting numberless outrages and killing Republicans with entire 



8 

impunity. Colored ex-soldiers of the United States have been 
robbed of the arms which they carried in the field and purchased 
of the United States Government, and colored Republicans have 
been "disarmed^' in most of the parishes of the State, and in not 
one instance have lawless bands of whites been deprived of their 
arms. 

The parish of St. Bernard affords a fair illustration of what has 
occurred in manny other parishes. In that parish the blacks 
killed but one white man, while the whites killed thirty-filve col- 
ored men according to Democratic authority, and probably more 
than fifty colored men, and one white ex-United States soldier, 
who was acting as an officer of the peace; nevertheless the blacks 
have been "disarmed,'' and in tJie presence of United States soldiers, 
while armed white desparadoes have been allowed to patrol the 
parish. 

Colored men have been robbed in numberless instances of their' 
hard earned money, provisions, and clothing by armed patrols of 
Democrats elaiming to be ''conservators of the public peace." In 
St. Landry, Washington, and many other padshes armed bands 
of Democrats killed many Republican canvassers, and drove the 
others from their parishes. They robbed colored men of their 
Republican tickets, and with violence and threats drove them to 
the polls, and ferced them in peril of their lives to vote the Dem- 
ocratic ticket. 

It is also evident that the frauds perpetrated by '*Demo€rats,'^ 
in casting and counting thousands of illegal Democratic votes, 
are unparelelled in ihe history of Louisiana, and are sufficient 
alone to invalidate the election in many localities. 

Indisputable evidence of all the facts we alledge will soon be 
laid before the public, and Congress will be asked not to allow 
our opponents to reap advantages from their lawless and wicked 
aets. 

The instigators o-f these riots and tumults and perpetrators o 
these numberless outrages and murders are too numerous to be 
generally reached by the civil law, and like the perpetrators of 



1) 

the "July massacre," thoy will probably escape merited punish- 
ment; but an all-seeing and just God and the civilized world will 
liold them responsible for acts which have disgraced the Chris- 
tianity, civilization and manhood cf this ago. Chivalry, courage 
and manliness lead men to defend the innocent and protect the 
v/eak; not to outrage the laws of God and man by assailing the 
nnprotected and killing the defenceless. 

The Democratic party is responsible for the terrible wrongs we 
have enumerated and the present condition of our State. Its 
press and orators, and many of its leading men have invited, en- 
couraged and commended forcible resistence to laws, and the 
constituted officers of the law. By incendiary articles and har- 
rangues, and by persistent misrepresentations and falsehoods, 
they have instigated lawlessness, riots, and murders, and inflam- 
ed the bad passions of the people until this city and State were 
on the verge of anarchy and civil war. 

The Democratic party of Louisiana has created an antagonism 
between capitol and labor. 

It has paralyzed our commerce and all efforts to develop the 
resources of the State. 

It has prostrated our business, and driven capital from our bord- 
ers. 

It has kept from us the emigrants and wealth of other States 
and of foreign countries, 

It has dishonored the principles of free government, and pol- 
luted the ballot-box by numberless frauds. 

It has corrupted the moral sentiment of our people by excusing 
countenancing and commending lawlessness, violence and mur- 
der. 

It has disgraced our State in the opinion of the civilized 
world . 

We ask the property holders, the thinking men and the res- 
pectable citizens of Louisiana, if these statenients are not true? 
And we appeal to them no longer to give countenance or support 
to that party which is responsible for these things, and whieh 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




10 

014 544 721 5 m 

seeks to accomplish its aims through proscription, intimidation 
and violence. 

The Republican party has just chosen for President a man 
whose motto is PEACE. He lias the confidence of the people of 
the whole country. He has the purpose and will have the power 
to protect every citizen in the enjoyment of his rights, and the 
free expression of his opinions. He will preserve the public 
peace, and enforce the laws of the land throughout this whole 
country. 

The time is very near when Republican club-rooms can be 
reopened, and Republican speeches be heard, in every parish in 
Louisiana. 

The State Committee recommends that where it can be safely 
done Republican clubs and parish committees perfect and retain 
their organizations; and that in parishes where they have been 
completely broken up they be reorganized as soon as practicable 
without endangering the lives of Republicans; and that the Pre- 
sidents of clubs and of committees immediately communicate 
with the president of the State Central Committee. 

To Republicans, the Committee says: be of good cheer. The 
verdict of the nation has established the principles of our party. 
The days of our troubles and tribulations are rapidly passing 
away. A new era of liberty and justice, of peace and prosperity, 
is dawning upon Louisiana. The Democratic party has been 
disorganized and weakened, and our party consolidated and 
strengthened by the events of the last month. Those who, under 
duress, voted the Democratic ticket are but better Republicans 
because of the violence they have suffered ; and when we have a 
peaceable and fair election, our majority in this State will be 
larger than ever before. 

S. B. PACKARD, President. 
R. C. Richardson, Secretary. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 544 721 5 



